We are honored to feature Mike Kappus, founder of The Rosebud Agency. Throughout his career, Mike went on to help launch the careers of Los Lobos, The Robert Cray Band, Ben Harper, George Thorogood & The Destroyers, John Hiatt, The Neville Brothers, Trombone Shorty and more, while helping to raise the profile of veteran artists such as Allen Toussaint, Captain Beefheart, Muddy Waters, The Staple Singers, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Albert Collins, John Lee Hooker and others. In this episode, Mike talks about the origins of the agency as well as what it was like to work with such renowned artists.

In 2011, Erik Gensler founded the annual Digital Marketing Boot Camp for the Arts, a two-day conference in New York that features some of today's leading digital marketers. In this episode, we chat with Erik about the conference and why everyone in the arts should seriously consider attending.

20th Episode Celebration! Speaking of the Arts is honored to welcome Carnegie Hall's Naomi Grabel. As director of marketing and creative services at Carnegie Hall since 2009, Naomi oversees advertising, sales, ticketing, e-strategy, publications development, volunteer services and retail operations.

This episode is a must listen for anyone who is interested in learning more about digital marketing, better email strategies, improving conversion rates, increasing website traffic, the top 3 things to keep in mind when posting on Facebook and Twitter, and much more!

Speaking of the Arts features Jordy Freed, Grey Group account supervisor and former Director of Marketing and Publicity at the Blue Note Entertainment Group. In this episode, Jordy discusses the role of PR as it relates to artists, venues, and major festivals. Highlights include working with Aretha Franklin and Ms. Lauren Hill, as well as key questions artists should think about when considering a PR firm.

Speaking of the Arts welcomes Craig Ferguson of Planet Bluegrass! In this episode, Craig discusses his unique background, the history of Planet Bluegrass, and the ins and outs of producing the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, RockyGrass Festival, and Folks Festival in Lyons, CO.

In this special episode, Speaking of the Arts is live at the annual Arts Midwest conference where we interview Jon Poses. Jon is the Executive Director of the “We Always Swing”® Jazz Series in Columbia, MO. In the episode, Jon discusses the origins of the series and the process of creating a subscription based music series for patrons.

Scott Southard, Founder and Director of the International Music Network, booking agency for Wayne Shorter, Lady Smith Black Mambazo, Maceo Parker, etc., describes the origins of the agency, how the company works with artists to build their careers, what artists need to be aware of when looking for booking representation, how artists need to approach their touring careers today vs. 25 years ago, the biggest marketplace challenges, and key differences between artist managers and agents.

Speaking of the Arts is proud to feature Dayna Martinez and Shelley Quiala of the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in Minneapolis. In this episode, Danya and Shelley discuss how to implement programs designed for students, how to empower them to appreciate real world performances, strategies for any organization interested in creating similar programs, and their widely successful International Children's Festival.

Marty Wollesen, Executive Director of the Clarice Performing Arts Center, gives inspiring examples of how to create innovative programming ideas. Learn how to successfully launch a new venue within your organization, the importance of creating participatory experiences for new audiences, why you should focus on opportunities which allow audiences to explore what is possible, and the importance of being very clear about the audience you want to build.